Pasta Salad

[colormist]

I've only been eating pasta salad and cereal for about a week now (due to the miserable heat and humidity and inability to cook). I feel like it's kind of healthy because it doesn't have a lot of fat and I'm actually eating a couple of veggies. I tend to make a big bowl of it and use it as my work-lunch for a few days.

I'd like some variations on my recipe, though, so I thought you guys could chime in with how you make it.

Current Recipe:
Radishes
Cucumber
Olives
Turkey Pepperoni
Olive Oil
Vinegar (of some sort)
Mozzarella
Fucilli Pasta

I was nosing around on the web for some Greek Pasta Salad recipes and thought about amending my normal haphazard collection of ingredients.

Greek Salad:
Penne Pasta
Cucumber
Black/Kalamata Olives
Olive Oil
Vinegar, Red Wine
Feta
Garlic
Banana Peppers
Spinach

Any other ideas?

[Tammy]

This sounds like a good idea. I've been wondering how to get a "cooler" food for Regina. Think maybe I'll give something like this a try. She doesn't have much desire to eat much more than crackers and dip in this heat, with a little tuna/chicken salad thrown in.

[julienc]

I just made a super yummy pasta salad with cheese tortellinis, spinach leaves, asparagus, olive oil, dijon mustard, and seasoned salt. I think I posted the recipe on here once before. It's so yummy, and perfect for warm weather. It's my summer food.

I sometimes make pasta salad with ranch dressing. Not as low-fat, but it is good. I keep mine simple and just put in black olives, green onion, and a TINY bit of cucumber. I like the banana pepper idea. Mmmmm.

[CK]

Thanks for the recipe- I didn't know we could eat radishes. I'm going to have to give that a try.

I made pretty much the same salad with Gluten free pasta, green & black olives, the new Hormel turkey pepperoni snack little rounds, olive oil and herbs. I soaked the pepperoni in the olive oil to bring out the flavors since I can't use vinegar. It was really good.

[colormist]

An oil and vinegar store opened up in town (a few blocks from my work) this week.
www.fustinis.com/

I think I definitely have to stop there some time soon. I'm really tired of red wine vinegar. Fancy oils also might make the salads more interesting. I've got a garlic-infused vinegar at home, which is yummy but must be used in moderation.

Also, I'd advise against using goat cheese in pasta salads. I used banana peppers, vinegar, and goat cheese and I was not aware that salads could taste THAT tart or sour.

[colormist]

Okay, I got the least-fruity vinegar I could find and still really fruity. The oils at Fustinis are awesome, though.

And I have to correct my previous statement. Goat cheese IS good in pasta salad so long as you don't use a vinegar.

I am learning. Slowly, but learning.